Emerald Eyes
by TheDragonQueen706
Summary: Alayna is on the run, trying to put distance between her and her family for months. Stopping at a bar in Aaron's Creek, Virginia she meets Adam. She is instantly smitten with him. When he becomes tossed into her world, she realizes there is more to him than first look. Both have a chunk of time missing from their memory and neither realize it's the key to saving her world.
1. When The Storm Comes

**A/N: This idea came to me in a dream. It's not normally something I do often; but I felt like I needed to write it down, because it was so unique. I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Chapter 1:**

**When the Storm Comes**

The smell of stale cigarettes and sweat waved until my nose. I turned my head to see a couple playing a game pool across the room. Lilac locks of hair fell over my shoulder upon turning back towards the direction of the bar. Halestorm's version of 'Hunger Strike' was playing just loud enough for all the patrons to hear while still able to hold a conversation with someone.

The bartender turned her attention to my approach to the counter. She had a smile on her aging face; but was still beautiful nonetheless. Her dirty blonde hair had streaks of gray throughout and her chocolate brown eyes locked with my green ones. "What can I getcha'?" She asked, wiping the counter with a blue rag.

"Bottle of Peach Twisted Tea, if you have it."

"I believe so. Let me check."

I sat down on the black stool, placing my phone on the counter. There was nothing but a blank screen reflecting back at me. A couple seconds later, the bartender returned with the bottle I had requested and sat it down in front of me. "Should I open a tab for you?"

"No, this will probably be my only drink tonight. I'm just passing through."

"Where are ya heading to?"

"No idea. I just need to get away."

"A runaway eh? Consider that drink on the house then."

It had been a long time since I had been called anything but what I truly was. Thinking back on the reasons I left everything behind, I realized that I still needed to continue on this path and not look back. No matter what, people wouldn't understand what exactly I was running from. The woman in front of me seemed nice enough; but at the end of the day, she had no idea what I had been through.

"No need to be generous. I have money to pay."

"I won't argue if you want to pay, hunnie."

Everyone turned their heads at the sound of the door opening again. A man walked in wearing light colored jeans that were form fitting with a pair of tan colored cowboy boots. His shirt was hidden under the tan suede jacket he wore. Blonde hair came to his shoulders in curls and his eyes were as blue as the ocean. "Adam, what brings you here tonight?" The bartender asked sweetly.

"Came to see my favorite lady." He answered, leaning against the counter.

"You flatter me. The usual?"

"You know me so well."

The older woman handed the man named Adam a bottle of beer. I couldn't see what kind it was, because I was trying to keep my glances out of notice. He turned to look at the loner at the end of the bar, which was me. "Is this seat taken?" He asked, obviously knowing that it wasn't currently occupied.

"No." I answered shortly, keeping my head facing the drink in front of me.

"What's your name?"

"Alayna...Alayna Riveria."

He extended his hand out to me. I eyed him questioning for a brief second before accepting the handshake. "My name is Adam Page." He introduced. There was a smile upon his face that only seemed to bring heat to my cheeks. I mentally cursed my unconscious behavior as I retracted my hand from his grasp.

"I've never seen you around here before?"

"I'm just passing through, trying to put enough distance between me and my family…"

"That's a shame. Aaron's Creek really is a nice town."

Was he trying to flirt with me? Things of that nature were kind of lost on me, considering I was never really allowed to have a conversation with the opposite sex unless it was an employee of my parents. I had always been shelted in that stupid mansion they called home. It also made me question the logic behind their way of thinking.

Adam looked like a nice enough guy; but there was no way I could stick around this town. My family would find me eventually, so I had to keep moving. It hurt to know that I could not settle in one place for long.

Despite how rundown this place looked, it was very clean and had a friendly environment. It was more than enough for me and I instantly felt guilty for passing judgment early on. "I assume there is a reason that you're on the run from them." He stated, still trying to hold a conversation with me.

"There are plenty of reasons and I'm going to leave it at that."

Tipping my head back, I finished the bottle of liquid in my hand. The bartender took the empty container away and I paid her for the beverage. Standing up, I tucked my phone into my back pocket. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Alayna. Maybe someday we will meet again."

All I could do was nod. There was something about him that intrigued me. There was a part of me that wanted to stick around and get to know him better; but the other part knew that if l didn't keep running, my parents would find me and drag me back to the hell they called life. That wasn't an option.

Walking passed him made my stomach coil into a heavy knot. Curling my bottom lip under my top one, I finally made it outside only to stand under pouring rain from the skies. It felt like this storm was a warning of some sort directed at me and considering who my family was,I wouldn't doubt it.

I cautiously walked towards the alley where I had parked my car. A cold shiver ran up my spine and I immediately stopped walking. Narrowing my eyes, I could see two figures cloaked in dark clothing approach my location. Of course, this wasn't the first time something like this has happened to me since I left the manor.

"I'm not going back." I shouted, standing my ground.

"Your parents say otherwise." The one said, taking one step closer to me.

"I won't be used by them! I won't be used by anyone!"

Just the thought of them got my blood boiling. I hated the thought of them experimenting on me just to fuel their own agenda. Clenching my hands into tight fists at my side, I shifted my feet so I could see them both better.

"What's all the comotion out here?" Adam's voice interrupted.

My chest instantly clenched, knowing that he was in deep trouble now. The two men inched their way closer to me when I was distracted by Adam's appearance. "Go back inside now!" I pleaded.

It was almost like he didn't understand the danger he was presently in, because he closed the distance between us and stood beside me. He narrowed his eyes to try and get a better view of the two men blocking my way. "They giving you trouble?" He asked innocently.

I didn't have a chance to answer. The one on the left attacked first. I shoved Adam out of the way to block the strike. His palm struck my forearm and I could see the webbing between his fingers and the sharp claws where his fingernails would be. He curled those claws deep into my flesh, making me yelp in pain.

"What the hell is that?" Adam asked, getting back to his feet. The fear in his voice was evident and totally justified. These creatures were once human like him and my father decided he wanted to play god and create a new hybrid species that would follow his every command. He called them NS001, 'New Species 1'.

I kicked hard in the abdomen and sent the creature back a couple feet. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out my keys to my car. I tossed them at Adam. Thankfully, I didn't have to address instruction to him further. He raced out around us to find the car that belonged to the keys he currently held.

Both creatures lunged at me. Swiping my leg low, I dropped one back and then connected with a right to the jaw of the second. It didn't take long before Adam was behind the wheel. He opened the passenger door and I jumped inside. Pushing the button on the ceiling to open the sunroof, I stood up and squeezed my upper body through the hole. "Are you insane?" He shouted, while continuing to drive forward.

The creatures were made with speed and were closing in on us. I outstretched my arms, leaning my head back to allow the rain to pound on my face. The power of my genetics was coursing through my veins. "Cover your ears, Adam." I stated. Opening my mouth, I expelled a high pitched wail. Waves of the scream toppled everything in its path including those creatures that wanted to drag me back to my parents.

I squeezed back down through the hole and closed the roof. Adam moved his hands from his ears and immediately put on the brakes of my car. He turned to look at me. I was soaked to the bone from the rain, bleeding from my forearm and my eyes burned from the power I had just unleashed to protect him.

"What the fuck was that back there?" He shouted at me, not that I blamed him.

"Those were genetically engineered creatures of my father's creation. They were sent to bring me back to my family. You were never meant to see that or become a part of it. You should have gone back inside when I told you to."

"You know how insane that sounds, right?"

"I do; but unfortunately, it's the truth. I wish it wasn't and I wish that I was just a normal girl that no one wanted to use. I'm anything but normal."

Adam's facial expression softened and let out a sigh before turning his face back ahead of him. Blood was dripping from my arm onto the leather of my seat. "We need to get that taken care of. All things considered, a hospital is probably not the best idea. Is there a place I can take you to?" He asked, lifting his foot off the brake and continued forward.

"No...I wasn't lying when I said I needed to put some major distance between my family and me. I've been on the run for 3 months now. They know I'm here so I can't stay any longer."

He didn't speak another word for the remainder of the trip. I had no idea where he was taking me to and yet, I wasn't worried about that. For some reason, he made me feel at ease. Leaning my head against the cool glass of the window, my eyes cautiously made contact with Adam's figure behind the wheel. "I'm sorry that you were dragged into this." I apologize.

"I'll feel better when you aren't bleeding all over the place."

"This is nothing compared to the things I've already been through."

"You're joking right?"

"I wish I was…"

I could hear him curse under his breath; but kept his head forward, not wanting to look in my direction. There were probably so many things going through his head at that moment and I only had myself to blame for that. Dragging a human into my crusade had been the last thing I wanted to do and now...he had seen part of my world, my father would take no exceptions. His life was now in danger and it was my fault.

He pulled onto a dark dirt road. There was nothing but trees as far as I could see. The middle of nowhere was probably the best place for us. Another ten minutes of driving on this endless road, a small cabin came into view. It was beautiful and the full moon reflected across the water of a small lake behind the cabin.

"You should be safe here for a while. Not many people know that this place exists." He said, putting the car into park and turning the key to turn the car off.

He didn't give me a chance to answer. He was already out of the car and moving towards the front porch of the cabin. I quickly exited the car and jogged to catch up to him. The wood creaked as I stepped up on the first stair. Finishing the rest of the steps slowly, I finally made it to where he was standing unlocking the door.

The sound of the door unlocking, made me turn my head in the opposite direction. I studied my surroundings, making sure we really were safe for the time being. "Alayna...come on, let's get that cleaned up." Adam urged.

Turning away from the forest trees, I returned to look back at him, who was standing just inside the cabin. I tried to force a smile for his sake; but I was pretty sure it was sadly pathetic at best. I didn't understand how things had turned so very wrong and now I had to worry about someone else besides myself. Fate had a terrible way of showing humor, because this was anything but funny.


	2. Familiar Feelings

**A/N: A special thanks goes to marandathomas22, Skovko and BreakTheWalls for becoming followers. Another special thanks goes to ClassicPurpleRoses, BreakTheWalls and Leasha Ambrose for the wonderful reviews. I appreciate all the all the kind words. Onto number two, let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 2:**

**Familiar Feelings**

Stepping inside the cabin, the lighting was lower than a normal light fixture in a house. I was okay with that. A headache was forming at the back of my head, which I assume was caused by the fight earlier on.

Adam closed the door behind me and quickly moved me to sit down on the closest piece of furniture, which was a tan colored oversized chair. There was a maroon colored blanket draped over the back of it. He then moved towards the back of the room, turning to the right slightly and entered a completely different room.

He returned moments later with a first aid kit. Kneeling down in front of me, his hands took a hold of my injured arm. Crimson fluid still oozed from the three open wounds where claws had sliced open my flesh. Tipping a bottle of peroxide onto white gauze, he started to clean the blood away.

I sucked in a breath, creating a hiss sound, upon feeling the stinging pain. He looked up briefly; but continued to work. The longer I looked at him the more familiar he seemed to be to me. I had been on the run for so long that I had forgotten most faces that I've met in the past; but he was pulling at strings inside me that I hadn't felt before in a long time. Safety.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" He asked softly, tossing the used gauze away and got a new piece out.

"It's complicated."

"You said those creatures were genetically engineered."

"Yes, my father created them. Why, I have no idea."

He remained quiet for another few minutes as he wrapped my forearm in bandage wrap, tapping it together. My eyes met his and I once again tried to smile. "Thank you." I said, pulling my arm away from his hands.

"It's the least I could do considering you saved my life back there."

"They know your face now...you will be a target now for helping me."

"Why do they even want you?"

Letting out a sigh, I instinctively moved my other hand to touch the necklace around my neck. It was the only thing I had left from where I truly came from. "They don't want me per say...they want my abilities."

"I see…"

"If they could just take my abilities away, they would just toss me out like a bag of trash.

I stood up from the chair and took several steps towards the window, looking out at the pond. Adam's eyes continued to stare at me. I wondered if he felt the same familiarity as I did. "My parents really aren't my biological parents. They adopted me as an infant. Unfortunately, the older I got the more I learned what kind of people they truly were. I tried to run so many times and every single time...I got caught. This time...I refuse to go back. I want the same freedom everyone else has. I don't want to be a prisoner for the rest of my life."

"I'm sorry. I think the worst thing that happened to me was that I almost drowned a few years ago on a fishing trip. To be honest, I have no idea how I survived. I woke up on the beach hours later with the sun beating down on my face."

Mentally gasping in surprise, somehow I felt like there was more to it than just a feeling of familiarity. There was a chunk of time I had been missing for quite a while and I wondered if it had anything to do with Adam. "Fate was shining upon you and there must be a reason you survived. You just have to figure it out." I told him.

"Maybe you're right…"

I turned around to look at him standing in the middle of the room. He had cleaned up the first aid kit and now held it by the handle in his right hand. He moved to return it back to where it belonged to. Out of curiosity, I followed him. The kitchen was small. Cabinets were all made out of oak wood, stained to a darker color than natural tones. The counters were a black granite, matching the black appliances.

This place really was beautiful, inside and out. "I'll do what I can to keep you safe. I'm sorry that you got drug into my mess." I apologized, placing a hand on his.

"I appreciate that; but I can take care of myself." He argued.

"Against normal adversaries, I have no doubt that you can; but this is beyond your knowledge."

He pulled his hand away from my touch. I wanted to tell him the truth; but I knew that he'd run, further than I could ever run myself. Adam was different from any human I had ever known in the past. He was the polar opposite of my so-called parents.

Instead of stepping away from me, he moved the hand he pulled away to cradle my cheek. His touch sent a shiver down my spine, a pleasant one. "Tell me, who are you? Why do you seem so familiar to me?" He asked in the softest of voices.

So he felt the familiarity too. I wished that I had that chunk of memory back. It probably could fill the void that was missing when it came to him and why we felt connected with this same familiar emotion. "You seem familiar to me as well and I honestly don't know why. Perhaps, if I had those lost memories back I'd be able to tell you more. As far as who I am...that is a little more complicated to explain."

"That scream was deadly, reminds me of some DC comic shit."

"I'm not Black Canary, Adam. Though, I do appreciate the flattery."

It had been a long time since I laughed and his sense of humor during a crisis such as this was completely welcomed. How had they kept me from conversing with men was beyond any logic, I felt more of a person standing next to him than I had ever felt my entire life living with them.

He held a softness about him that just comforted me. Out of nowhere, my chest tightened and my skin started to heat up to an uncomfortable level. Then I realized that I hadn't been taking care of myself as best as I originally thought. "Are you okay?" He asked, immediately taking his hand away from my face.

"Water…" I muttered, collapsing to the floor at his feet.

Kneeling down at my side, he shifted his body to lift me up in his arms. The heat my body was radiating couldn't have been easy for him to tolerate. He carried me up the stairs and into the bathroom. A white clawfoot tub was centered in the room that was designed in greys and whites. The tile he gently laid me upon felt wonderful on my heated skin.

Turning my head, I could see a stand in shower in the far corner. Water started to pour into the tub and my skin started to feel the ripples. "Alayna, I'm sorry; but I got to strip you out of these clothes…"

It didn't matter what he said. I could barely hear it anymore. My eyes fluttered closed and all I could do was hope that he would just put me in the water. _"Alayna…"_ a whisper caressed me in my unconsciousness.

"_Who is there?"_ I asked, hoping to get an answer.

"_You've grown, ever so beautiful. You need to continue to fight, we are waiting for you."_

I didn't understand and I couldn't even ask, because the voice was gone. Maybe my fevered delirium made me hear things that weren't really there. When I awoke, I was placed inside the tub filled with water. Adam was sitting on the floor several feet away. He was staring at me with eyes wide. "Mermaid huh?" He commented, rubbing a hand across his face.

Turning my head away, I could see the scales of my lower half. A blend of blues and greens leading down to the wide tail dangling just outside the tub. My top half was covered by my hair. "I'm only half mermaid, which is one of the reasons I can maintain human form for longer periods of time. Those creatures you saw tonight were human once, until they were experimented on with Mermaid and Grindylow DNA."

"Grindylow?"

"Small sea creatures with webbed hands, tiny horns and sharp teeth."

I could tell that Adam's head was spinning with thoughts. My world was far too much for a human to handle and I hated that he was involved. Moving my hands in the water, I pushed myself to sit upright, not caring if my hair was still covering my breasts or not. "Adam, I totally understand if you are confused, in disbelief, angry or all of the above; but it was never my intention to put you in harms way."

"Forget about it. My life was pretty boring until you came along. Since you are kind of an ocean native, maybe you can help me figure out how I survived that accident and I'll help you get away from your family."

"Okay, that sounds like a deal to me."

I didn't know if I could give him the answer he longed for; but I damn sure would try to give it to him. It was the least I could do for taking me in, giving me shelter instead of a hotel room. Sliding back down in the tub, I closed my eyes for real this time, allowing sleep to take over.


	3. Breathing Underwater

**A/N: A special thanks goes to ClassicPurpleRoses and BreakTheWalls for the wonderful reviews. Onto number three, let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 3:**

**Breathing Underwater**

I awoke to the sun shining in my face from the window above me. Turning my head slightly, there was no sign of Adam in the room. However, my blue duffel bag was sitting on the floor next to the tub I was currently lying in. He must have gotten in the card to retrieve it. Shifting my body, I pulled the plug on the water and let it drain slowly.

Closing my eyes, I forced my tail to return to human legs. It had been three months since I had been in mermaid form; but now I could go another three months without having a tail. It had been a huge setback on my way to putting a huge distance between me and my adoptive parents.

Getting out of the tub, I snagged the nearest towel and wrapped it around myself. Under the duress I had been under last night, I didn't get a chance to admire the beauty of the room itself. The tile on the floor was a slate grey marble and the walls were a lighter grey texture paint.

Opening the duffel bag, I picked out a pair of dark denim jean shorts with a solid black tank. My baby blue sneakers were the only shoes I had, so I had to wear them too with the outfit.

Quickly changing, I opened the door and turned to the right. The staircase was made of the finest oak wood and I admired it as I made my descent. Adam was sitting on the couch in the living room with a book in hand. To be honest, I fully expected him to be gone with my car. When I saw him sitting there, a smile appeared on my face without meaning to. "How are you feeling?" He asked, putting his book down across his lap face down.

"A lot better. I appreciate what you did. I fully expected you to run the second you saw me in that form." I answered with a confession of my own.

"I will say...that I didn't expect to see what I did. However, you saved my ass from those creatures...so you can't be all bad."

"Fair enough…"

I continued down the rest of the stairs and entered the room where Adam sat. The room wasn't nearly as bright as the bathroom was upstairs; but it still held its own light. He continued to watch me as I opened the front door. The warm breeze was welcomed on my skin. Taking the first step out onto the porch, I truly saw how isolated this place was from the rest of the town.

Adam wasn't too far behind me. I could tell that he was curious about what I was doing and I'm sure he had a million questions to ask about my world. My wet hair was blown over my shoulder by the breeze as I made my way down the steps and into the front yard where my car was parked.

"This place is beautiful…" I commented in a low voice.

"Thank you. This is where I come to escape the world for a while."

So my assumptions were right. This place was his. I could hear him walk towards me until I could feel his breath against my bare shoulder. There was an unfamiliar feeling in my stomach. I felt like I was drawn to him by some invisible force. I didn't understand why. "What is your next move?" He asked softly.

"To be honest, I don't know. I've been running for too long. I don't want to run anymore."

"Then don't. I highly doubt anyone will find you here."

"As nice as that sounds, unfortunately they will find me. It may take longer but they will."

Turning around to face him, there was sincerity on his face and comfort swirling in his ocean blue eyes. The knot in my stomach faded and I relaxed. "Alright, until then...tell me more about you." He asked, taking a step back.

"What do you want to know?"

He motioned for me to walk with him. He led me to the backside of the cabin where the small lake lay. The sun reflecting off the water created a shimmering effect. "Anything you want to tell me."

"My history isn't known to me. The only things I know are the fact that I was adopted as an infant. They want to use my abilities to take control of the world through their genetic creations. I have no idea who my birth parents are, except that my mother was a mermaid."

"So there is a possibility that your birth parents are still alive?"

"I suppose there is a chance of that."

I guess I never gave much thought to who my birth parents were. The questions I had growing up could have been answered by them and yet, I grew up without them. Learning as I got older what I could and couldn't do. Of course, my adoptive mother was great at testing my limits when she saw fit to.

The thought of that made me stop walking. I turned to look across the lake at the trees beyond the water. Closing my eyes, I listened. The voices I heard last night in my fevered duress could possibly be my biological parents communicating with me. "Alayna?" Adam questioned.

I held a hand up to stop him from speaking more. Diving deeper into myself, I listened once again. Hoping, maybe even, praying that a voice would answer me. There was nothing but silence to greet me though. Doubt started to worm its way up through me. Had I imagined that voice?

The doubt continued until I heard a different kind of voice. A distress call from under the waters of that lake. Opening my eyes, Adam took notice of the difference in me immediately. "What's wrong?" He asked, trying to understand what was going on with me.

"I can hear a distress call from the water. There is an animal in trouble down there. I shall return shortly and continue our conversation."

"Let me come with you!" He shouted after me.

Taking my shoes off at the bank, I dove in. Adam wasn't too far behind. My body transformed back into a mermaid. My head turned to see Adam jumping into the water after me. He was definitely persistent and I found myself smiling at that notion. **_"Take my hand." _**I told him mentally.

The shock on his face when he heard my words inside his mind was justified; but he still took my hand. My ability to breathe underwater was passed to him as long as he held onto my hand. **_"This is fucking insane." _**He said with a smile on his face.

**"_Don't let go, or the ability to breath will fade away."_**

We swam in the direction of the sound of the call I could hear. The sight of his smile made my heart skip. Was he truly happy about seeing this side of the world? As it turned out, there was a plastic six pack carrier around a turtle's neck and legs. Adam dug into his pocket for a small pocket knife. He handed it to me and I went to work. Cutting the plastic away from the turtle, the creature swam away; but not without letting me know how grateful he was for my help.

I pulled Adam up with me to the surface. Letting go of his hand, he found himself able to breath on his own. He moved his arms to keep himself above the water. "That was crazy. You are something special for sure."

"I wouldn't say that. Trust me, if I could just be a human...I'd take that any day." I answered.

"Why? Most humans are generally assholes and selfish." He questioned.

"Maybe so...it's about how fragile you are. You appreciate the small things in life and don't take things for granted because your lives are short. There is nothing more beautiful than humanity in my eyes."

I started to swim back to the bank with Adam trailing right behind me. Pulling myself up to sit on the warm grass, my legs started to return. My clothes were ruined from the transformation, so I sat on the bank naked.

Adam took off his t-shirt and handed it to me, without gazing at my naked appearance. I quickly put on the garment and stood up from the grass. His shirt was thankfully long enough to cover my female anatomy.

"Thank you for allowing me to see that part of your world."

"You're welcome."

We made it back to the cabin and I quickly changed clothes in the upstairs bathroom; but when I returned to the lower level, Adam stood frozen in the middle of the living room floor. The front door was open and there were two NS001 creatures and someone I hadn't seen in a long time standing with them. Elijah Jackson.

"Ah, Alayna, glad you could make an appearance." He said with a touch of humor in his voice.

"I'm not going back. I will continue to fight back and if that means I have to go through you...then so be it."

"My beautiful Alayna, you don't have a choice here. Your father requested your presence and I was personally chosen for the task."

Narrowing my brows out of frustration, I took steps closer to Adam. I placed a hand on his arm gently as I continued to walk towards Elijah. "Smart girl, there is no sense in resisting."

"Alayna...don't." Adam pleaded.

"It's okay. I'll be fine."

I could hear Adam's voice inside my head. He was emotionally pleading with me not to give myself up. Again, my heart skipped. **"_Adam, listen to me. I will return. I owe you answers, don't I?"_** I said mentally.

**"_Yes, yes you do."_**

Elijah took a hold of my arm and he urged me to walk forward out the front door of the cabin. Something felt off about the whole situation. Just as I was about to get inside their vehicle, he snapped his fingers. It was his signal for the NS001's to kill their target. I whirled around, screaming for Adam to run.


	4. Atonement

**A/N: A special thanks goes to Vampirezdarkgurl and martham73 for becoming followers. Another special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls for the wonderful review. I'm definitely enjoying writing this for all of you. Onto number four, let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 4:**

**Atonement**

My eyes widened with horror as the two NS001 creatures lunged at Adam. He was a human and virtually powerless against their strength. I felt my body go numb with a sickening thought of him dying because of me. Closing my eyes, mentally calling out for him. There was silence.

Elijah let go of my arm as if I had burned him and that's when I realized that my body was much hotter than before. He looked at me with a dumbfounded expression and all I could do was rush inside the cabin; but before I could get there. Adam was tossed outside with such force, he fell into the lake with a splash.

The two NS001's blocked my path in attempts to reach him. They really were brainless creatures, only made to do my father's bidding. The one on the right attacked first. Crouching low, I avoided the claws and returned with a kick to the abdomen. At this point, I was feeling overheated. Out of instinct alone, I forced all the extra energy within me into two balls in my palms. They radiated an orangish yellow color, just like the sun.

Tossing both balls of energy at them. Connecting with their scaly skin, it dried them out almost immediately. It left nothing but dust behind. I took the opening to dive straight into the lake, not giving a damn about Elijah in the least.

_**"Adam!"**_ I mentally called out.

Once again, there was silence. Panic took over and I frantically searched the dark waters for him. My mermaid tail had emerged the second my body hit the water, allowing me to swim much faster than a traditional human. The fish surrounded me, immediately taking notice of my presence and desperation.

They led me straight to him. He was unconscious and barely alive. Blood was pooling from an open gash on his shoulder. Holding him in my arms, my mouth connected with his. Breathing life back inside him. Using my tail strength, I forced myself to swim back to the surface with him in my arms.

Adam coughed and spat out the water that had been in his lungs the second his body made connect with the grassy bank. I stayed in the water, making sure it was safe for him to be in the open. Elijah's car was no longer there, which meant he was going back to my father for backup and it also meant that we could no longer stay here. We needed to keep moving further away.

He pushed himself up to a sitting position. Water rolled down his face and dripped from the ends of his long blonde hair. Once he realized that he was alive, he instantly looked to his shoulder and saw that the wound had stopped bleeding. The open wound was closed shut. "Alayna…" He stated, turning his head back towards me in the water.

"Glad to see that you didn't get killed because of me." I answered, avoiding eye contact with him.

"I'm pretty sure that I was dead there for a moment."

"Had you truly died, I wouldn't have been able to heal you."

I knew my limitations. I wasn't a god and no matter what kind of power dwelled inside my body, I couldn't bring back someone from the dead. It was impossible. If he thought that he had died, then it must have been extremely close. "Thank you." He murmured. His voice was rough and it probably hurt to speak.

"You're welcome. I'm grateful that I was able to save you in time."

"I get the feeling that someone else wasn't as lucky as I…"

His statement hit me straight in the chest like a ton of bricks. I didn't want to think about the past. My struggles were my own problem. Turning away, my back was to him. The sun was covered by the white clouds that were quickly turning grey. My emotions were creating a torrent in the weather patterns and if I didn't get a handle on them, it would spell disaster for this little town of Aaron's Creek.

I could feel the fish circle me once more. They were speaking to me as if they knew me. Words of concern were issued; but they didn't help. The feeling of ripples in the water against my sensitive skin, alerted me to Adam's presence in the water.

"Alayna…" He called softly.

Adam placed a hand on my arm, pulling me back towards him. He had just come so very close to death and here he was trying to comfort me. It didn't make any sense as to why I felt such a strong connection to him. It was familiar, yet unknown at the same time. "I was fifteen. I had befriended a boy in my class at school. My body was changing and was going through the transition to mermaid every couple of days. I begged my parents to allow me go out with him just once. Of course, they refused, so I snuck out."

Reliving those memories wretched at my heart, making the tears burn at the corners of my eyes. Curling my bottom lip under the top one, I looked up at the sky. The blue was gone, replaced by a stormy grey. A storm of my own creation was rumbling in the heavens. Adam needed to get out of the water or he'd risk getting struck by lightning. "Elijah was sent to bring me back and my friend was caught in the crossfire. I've never forgiven myself for that. I refuse to let anyone else die because of me."

"That truly is a touching story." Elijah's voice boomed over the first thunder clap.

The both of us immediately turned in the direction of his voice. His car wasn't there; however, he was. Had he been lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike. His eyes were narrowed with the intention of taking care of the issue himself. Swimming forward, I pushed Adam back onto the bank. **_"You need to get out of here. I won't let you die. Take my car and go...please."_** I mentally begged him.

He scrambled to his feet and headed straight for my car. The keys were still inside and I could see him finally drive away from the scene that had unfolded. Elijah laughed. It was a laugh straight from his gut, which only seemed to fuel the fire burning deep inside me. "If you think you'll be able to save him, you are sadly mistaken. He's been marked by the NS001. He won't get far."

Another thunder clapped across the sky. It was a signal that I needed to act now. Outstretching my arms, the water seperated and flowed out around me. Elijah pulled out his weapon of choice, a small handgun. He fired the first shot. Moving my hand slightly, the bullet was caught in my web of water.

Forcing the water to move me to the bank, my legs returned and I stood on the grass. I didn't care that I was naked in front of him, it was the least of my worries. He fired another shot at me. The bullet missed, just flying passed my shoulder.

"You can make this easy on yourself. Just come back with me and all will be forgiven." Elijah stated, taking a step back on the gravel pathway.

"Nothing needs to be forgiven. I'm not going back. You can no longer control me."

Clenching my hands into fists at my side, I could feel the weather's turmoil in the sky. Opening my mouth, I unleashed the same destructive scream only this time a bolt of lightning touched down on the waves, electrifying them. The force connected with Elijah's body. His cries of agony were utterly satisfying to say the least.

I knew deep down it wouldn't kill him. The man was my father's right hand man and thus, genetically modified. My mind swirled with ideas of what I was going to do next; but out of the corner of my eye, I could see my car. Adam was behind the wheel and he pulled to a stop right in front of me.

"Alayna, get in!" He shouted.

Complying with his request, I got into the passenger seat and he continued to drive away. He reached into the backseat for the blanket that had been resting there. I immediately pulled it around myself. The storm dissipated the further we drove away from the cabin. The dred of knowing that Elijah would eventually find me again made it hard for me to feel excitement over seeing Adam's face again. "I'm pretty sure I told you to run." I stated, holding the ends of the blanket closed around me.

"Wasn't going to happen."

"Adam, being around me is dangerous. You need to go while you still have a chance to live your life fully."

"You owe me answers and besides...I happen to like being around you."

His words left me dumbfounded for a moment. No one has ever said they liked being around me, not since my one and only friend at fifteen. He kept his eyes on the road as he continued to drive, not really knowing where to go. All I knew was that I needed clothes, food and sleep.

Leaning my head against the window, my eyes fluttered closed. A familiar feeling of warmth rushed over me. **_"Alayna…"_ **My name was called by that same femine voice from the night before.

**"_Who calls for me?"_** I asked, hoping to get an answer this time.

_**"Oh how I wish I could answer that, just know that we are watching and guiding you."**_

_**"Guiding me to what?"**_

_**"To the answers you seek."**_

The voice faded once more and I was left in the darkness of slumber. Opening my eyes, the sun had finally set and the mood arose in the sky to take its place. Adam was still driving as I turned my head to look at him. "How long was I out for?" I asked.

"Maybe an hour or two. I found us a place to stay tonight." He replied, glancing over at me with a smile.

I honestly didn't know what to say to him. This has been by far the most anyone has ever done for me. I had no idea if I was going to be able to give him the answers he wanted and that pained me to think about.

Another ten minutes flew by and he pulled into the parking lot of a motel. He left me alone in the car for a few moments as he went inside to check in. Coming back outside with a key in hand, he returned to the car. "Come on." He urged, opening the door for me to step out.

Still holding the blanket around me, I followed him to the room we would be staying in tonight. The keycard unlocked the door and he pushed it open. It wasn't anything fancy. Two full sized beds positioned in the center of the room, a small couch against the large window and a entertainment center that housed a flatscreen TV and mini fridge. "You go get a warm shower and I'll run to the store to get you some clothes and supplies."

He turned towards the door. "Adam." I called. He stopped at the handle of the door and turned back towards me. "Thank you." Smiling, he stepped out of the room allowing the door to close behind him. I was now alone in the room, so I decided to do exactly what he suggested I do in the first place. Get a warm shower.

Letting go of the blanket, it fell to the floor in a pile. I stepped into the small bathroom, turning the handles for the right temperature of water. Once I got it right, it felt heavenly on my sore body. Running my fingers through my tangled hair, I smiled to myself. Understanding that maybe Adam was meant to help me achieve my freedom and I was meant to help him uncover those lost memories inside his mind. At the time, uncover my own lost memories.


	5. Question Everything

**A/N: A special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls and Leasha Ambrose for the wonderful reviews. Onto number five, let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 5:**

**Question Everything**

"Alayna…" A voice called.

I opened my eyes, seeing the oceanic world lay before me. Dolphins and colorful fish swam in harmony through the pink colored reefs of coral. This wasn't my reality; but knew that it was somehow connected to my lineage. Turning my mermaid body around, I came face to face with a woman. Another mermaid, who had long chestnut brown hair and the brightest amber colored eyes I had ever seen.

She looked to be around the same age as me; but her presence told me that she was older than she seemed. Her tail held bright shades of green and blue mixed along the scales. She was beautiful and not in the traditional model sense, genuine beauty. "Who are you?" I asked, hoping to get an answer and not a vague one like I have been getting during these episodes inside my head.

"I truly wish I could answer that. It isn't safe yet. All I can tell you, is that you must put as much distance as you can between Philip, Claire, and Elijah as you can."

She mentioned my adoptive parents by name. How did she know them? What else did she know about the things happening within that mansion? Narrowing my eyes a little at the disappointment of her responses. The secrets were starting to get to me, even if this was entirely made up inside my head.

"Alayna…" Another voice called, one that was familiar. Adam's voice.

The world in front of me was starting to crumble before my eyes. Whirling around, I could see the solemn expression on the woman's face before she faded away. Flying into an upright position, Adam's hands connected with my shoulders to steady me. Gasping for small breaths of air, I realized that I was in my own reality. "It was just a dream." He assured, sitting on the edge of the bed next to me.

"It felt so real...the ocean caressing my skin." I answered, finally getting my breathing rhythm back and touching the sides of my arms.

"Sometimes I get dreams like that. They've been coming ever since the accident. I guess it might have something to do with my lost memories of that day."

I simply stayed quiet and watched him. I've only known him for two days and somehow I felt at ease in his presence, more alive than I ever had living at home. His golden blonde locks were tangled, obviously from restless sleep. The same as me. I didn't even want to see what my hair looked like.

Adam reached across his lap for my hand. The feeling of his soft skin against mine sent a pleasant chill down my spine, awakening long forgotten emotions that I desperately try to bury deep within myself. "Chin up, we need to push forward if we want to see the light at the end of the tunnel." He encouraged.

"You're right. I never meant to drag you into this...I'm sorry."

"Like I said before, it's not a big deal. Hell, if you hadn't dragged me into this, I'd never know who you are...other than a chance meeting at a bar."

"So what I am...doesn't bother you?"

I was dreading the answer, because I felt like there was no human on earth that would not fear what I am on some level. Even if I was only half-mermaid, the fact that I didn't know who or what my biological father was left me with too many unanswered questions of my own let alone explaining it to someone else.

Adam tightened his hold on my hand a little, looking me straight in the eyes. There was no humor, no fear, no sadness, not even happiness displayed on his face. The only thing there was a serious expression that I could not read. "I'll admit, when I first saw the tail in my bathtub...I was a little cautious or maybe a little unwavering, not really understanding what I was seeing; but I also remembered how you saved my life without even thinking about it in the alley."

"I have no idea what else could happen while you stay with me...it's only going to get more dangerous from here."

"So I've seen first hand."

"This is no joke, Adam. My world could kill you."

My warning didn't seem to concern him. He continued to stare at me. His blue eyes swirling with foreign emotion. He was admiring me, I could feel it against my skin. Pulling his hand away from mine, he moved it up to touch the side of my face. "I know. We will keep moving. You don't need to be alone in this."

Never in a million years did I think that I would hear such words come out of a human's mouth directed at me. It made my heart pound against my chest beating a million miles a second.

Reaching up, I curled my fingers around the side of his palm and pulled his hand away from my cheek. Shifting my head, I placed my lips on the inside of his wrist before getting up out of bed.

"It's only going to get harder the further we go. There are so many unanswered questions about my lineage. I have no idea how I was able to create those balls of sunlight yesterday. That wasn't a mermaid power." I admitted, looking out the window to see the sunlight for myself outside the glass.

"But what else could it be really?"

Shifting my feet away from the curtain, I glanced in his direction. He was so naive to the world outside of being human. There are so many creatures out there that could have been my father. It really was hard to say what kind of power that was. "There are far too many things in this world it could be. My adoptive parents experimented on so many that I lost count growing up."

"So you're telling me that I should be prepared to see all kinds of different things other than mermaids and those crazy ass genetically created things that attacked us at the cabin."

"Yes. I have no doubt there will be a bounty on my head. I'm sure Elijah will hand out a huge amount of money to whoever can bring me back to that god forsaken mansion in Vermont."

Letting the curtain fall from my hand, I moved to start packing up our supplies for the road. I hated the fact that I had to leave my bag behind in Adam's cabin; but there was nothing I could do about it now. The place would be monitored and we'd be caught almost immediately. He moved into the bathroom to brush his hair and brush his teeth. After he was finished, I moved in to do the same things.

Looking at the mirror, the person reflecting back at me didn't seem real. There were purple bags under my eyes from countless sleepless nights and my skin was dry from all the transforming into a mermaid I've done in the last forty-eight hours. I felt almost defeated in a sense, although no one had actually defeated me physically.

"Do you want to drive?" Adam asked, holding up the keys to my car in his fingers.

"Not particularly, do you mind driving?" I answered with a question of my own.

"No, I don't mind."

He held onto the keys and we moved to walk out of the room together. The sun was warm on my bare shoulders and the birds were chirping beautifully. Smiling to myself, I got inside the car on the passenger side. Adam tossed our things in the backseat and got behind the wheel.

My thoughts were starting to run together. That dream I had just seemed so real to me. Had she been trying to tell me something before I shot awake? The woman didn't feel familiar but her magic did. It called out to my own, which was normal for a mermaid to resonate with another mermaid when it came to their magic. Just who was she?

"Since we are in this car together, we might as well get to know each other a little more." Adam suggested.

"If you want to know something, just ask."

His facial expression was absolutely adorable. His mouth was agape for a second, obviously not expecting my response. If I was honest with myself, I could look into his eyes for a lengthy period of time and not think twice about it. For a human, he was beautiful. "You said that you have lost memories, right?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Is it only one day or a period of time?"

"It's a span of three days, which I figured out to be May 1st, 2nd and 3rd of 2016."

Adam's eyes widened and his hand gripped the steering wheel tighter until his knuckles were white. We weren't even ten minutes down the road when he pulled off into an abandoned parking area. I remained quiet, unsure of what he was doing or what was going through his mind.

Sucking in my bottom lip, I clenched my hands together across my lap. I didn't want to say anything that would upset him further. "Those are the same days I can't remember. There is no way that is a coincidence…"

"I don't understand...how could you have the same days lost as me?"

"Unless it was intentional."

He wasn't wrong there. If we have the same days lost, it meant something significant happened to us on those days and someone wanted us to forget about it. There had to be answers somewhere and judging from the look on Adam's face, he wanted them just as much as I did.


	6. Deadly Rain

**A/N: A special thanks goes to Melissa(Guest) for the wonderful review. I'm really glad that you all seem to be enjoying this little story of mine. Onto number six. Let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 6:**

**Deadly Rain**

We were on the road again. A lot was on our minds. I could feel Adam's mind swirling with chaos, which only could be expected considering that we had just figured out that we had the same days lost in our memory. He wasn't wrong when he said that it couldn't have been a coincidence. It was probably intentional; but that only begged the question, why would someone take away our memories for those days? What happened?

We had just crossed the Virginia border and we're now in North Carolina. The oceanaire got my legs all tingly with the urge to change into my mermaid form. The wind was blowing through my hair and despite everything going on, I could still find myself smiling at the simple things.

"I suppose the ocean is calling." Adam commented, taking a short glance in my direction.

"Something like that; but I can control the urges." I answered, trying to keep my voice steady.

"So what is the plan? How far do we keep going? We can't keep going in circles, they will eventually find us."

He wasn't wrong. They would eventually find us no matter where we went. I was just hoping that my dreams would give me some kind of direction of where we needed to go. Adam pulled into a gas station and stopped right next to the pump. I immediately opened the car door to get some fresh air.

The breeze was heavenly on my skin. Opening the trunk, I rummaged through my purse and found my credit card. We walked inside the small surplus store and got a few things to keep us going for the rest of the drive.

"I really need some booze. My brain is fried." Adam commented walking around the coolers towards the alcohol section.

"Get something if you want it. None of this is going to be easy."

I watched him open one of the glass doors and pull out a six-pack of Corona and a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. Grabbing a bottle of Coca-Cola and a bottle of light blue gatorade out of two different coolers, I was set for a little while.

We walked up to the counter and placed all of our items down for the cashier to scan them. The lady behind the counter smiled at us cheerfully. "Is this everything for you guys?" She asked.

"No, twenty-five on pump three also." I answered.

"Alright, you total is 44.78."

I placed my card inside the machine and waited for it to do its job. It beeped, indicating that I had been approved for the purchase. The receipt printed and the lady handed me the piece of paper. "Have a great day."

"You too…"

Adam took a hold of the paper bag of alcohol and I took hold of the other drinks. Once we made it back outside, he placed the paper bag in the backseat and started to pump the gas into my car. "Are you okay?" I asked, realizing that he wasn't telling me everything inside his head.

"I just never imagined my life to be like this. I never imagined what I know to be real...is real."

The pump clicked off and he turned to put it back on the handle. We silently got back inside my car. I knew that I had ruined his life by showing up in that bar. My world had consumed him and it was about to swallow him whole.

He slowly made his way back out onto the freeway. My hands clenched together across my lap, biting down on my bottom lip. "I am sorry that I brought all this upon you. It's not fair to you."

"No need to apologize. It wasn't your fault at all. I just didn't expect any of this."

Once again, he fell silent. I didn't want to push for him to talk if he didn't want to. Upon driving up a hill, I could see dark clouds circle the sky ominously. They weren't caused naturally. Those were intentional, created by magic. The rain began to pour and pound against the windshield.

Traffic was starting to become less and less as people hurried off the bridge. Adam slowed down his driving cautiously. I'm sure people thought we were crazy for driving head on into the eye of the storm. Except, what people didn't know, was that this storm was created by some angry creatures beyond their knowledge.

"Just a little further, I can feel whoever is doing this a little beyond the exit of the bridge." I told Adam.

Saying nothing, he simply nodded his head to let me know that he had heard what I said. Two vehicles had collided with one another, blocking our exit of the bridge. Opening the car door, I stood outside in the pouring rain. "Alayna! What are you doing?" Adam shouted from inside the car.

"Stay here. I'm going to deal with this myself." I said, shutting the door behind me.

Walking forward, I closed my eyes allowing my other senses to take over. After crossing the threshold of the asphalt that seperated the road from the bridge, I stopped walking. An echoed laugh caressed my ear. Just by the sound, I knew exactly what I was dealing with. This was not personel from that hell mansion. This was a collector looking for money by dragging me back to Vermont.

Swiftly jumping over the parked vehicles, trying to wait the storm out, I finally made it to where my adversary was standing. There was a woman standing there. She had long ebony hair and piercing red eyes. Her arms were merged with feathers that would allow her to fly. Another laugh echoed across the sky, distracting me from my thoughts.

"You will be a wonderful payday, my dear." She cooed.

"Yeah, that's not happening." I answered nonchalantly.

She automatically narrowed her eyes at my response. The claws on her hands clicked together, making me cringe at the sound. There was no doubt in my mind that the woman in front of me was a Harpy.

Lunging straight at me, I caught her claws with my hands. Physical power wasn't on their side as a species; however, their speed was not matched by many creatures in the world. Twisting back on her wrists, I pulled her forward kicking her straight in the abdomen before lifting up with my knee to catch her under the jaw.

**"_Behind you!" _**Adam's voice shouted from inside my head.

I turned just in time to block the claws of yet another Harpy. This woman had bright red hair and black as coal eyes. She seemed much older than the first one who attacked me. Hearing the other swoop in from behind, I ducked quickly to avoid contact. The two Harpies connected with each other.

A smile tugged at my lips. I was amused by their efforts to capture me. I wanted to look down to see Adam; but I didn't want to draw attention to him. **_"Stay hidden."_** I warned him from inside my mind.

**"_What are they?"_** He asked.

**"_Harpies."_**

He remained silent. I'm sure he was surprised to hear that name. The two women got back to their feet and without hesitation started to fly in on my location. Sliding down on my knees across the wet concrete, I managed to avoid contact while pulling at their feathers to slam down on that same concrete.

"You two are starting to piss me off." I stated, getting back to a standing position.

Once again, they got back up. They seperated, trying to circle me as if I was prey. Holding my hands out, the rain that was pouring down from the sky just became my weapon. Lowering the temperature, the water droplets started to freeze. The shards of ice circled my hands clockwise.

I spun counter-clockwise, releasing the shard of ice from my hands. Each one was like a bullet from a gun, ripping through their flesh upon impact. Both women fell off the edge of the building we had been fighting upon.

Jumping down from the building myself, I could see both women were in a heap motionless at my feet. Adam was standing about ten feet away. Rain had soaked him to the bone. Regardless, I was glad that he hadn't been caught in the crossfire this time. "You're bleeding." He commented, closing the distance between us.

I looked down at my left arm, it was dripping with crimson fluid. Being caught up in the fight, I hadn't realized one of them had got me with a claw or two. He moved to touch my waist, eyeing me up and down for more injuries. The feeling of his touch on my skin was electric and beyond all logic, I enjoyed the feeling. I was starting to care about this man more than I should.

"Looks like just a small gash on your upper arm, nothing else I can see." He determined, taking a step back away from me.

"Come on, let's get going. The storm is letting up."

We walked quickly back to where the car was parked. I reached in to grab the napkins that were in the glovebox to start clearing away the blood off my arm. Adam put the car in drive and drove out around the collided vehicles in front of us. We were on our way again.

"I thought Harpies were good, helpers of the greek gods. If my memory of greek mythology is right." Adam questioned, as he turned the wheel to switch lanes.

"They only listen to Zeus; but there was no proof of that either. I've always known them to be selfish creatures only out for themselves."

"Are you implying that the gods are real too?"

"No, I'm not implying that. I honestly have no idea if they are real or not. No one has seen any of them. If they are, they are damn good at keeping themselves hidden."

"I swear I'm going to have to do some reading on all this mythical creature stuff. I'm so fucking lost right now, it's not even funny."

Smiling, I leaned across the center console and placed my lips on his cheek. For once in my life, I was content with how things were going and it was all because of Adam. He smiled in return, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before returning it to the steering wheel.


	7. Study Session

**A/N: A special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls for the wonderful reviews. Another special thanks goes to TattyNatty86 for becoming a follower. I'm pleased with how well this story is turning out. Onto number seven and let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 7:**

**Study Session**

"What are you doing?" I asked, collapsing onto the motel bed with a squeak.

Adam was sitting on the edge of his bed with his phone in hand. He was so focused on what was on the screen, he never noticed me enter the room until I flopped onto the bed. He shifted his eyes in my direction. "Reading." He answered calmly.

"About?"

"Mythology. If I'm going to help you, then I need to be informed."

His answer took me by surprise. I honestly didn't think he was committed to learning about creatures he knew nothing about. Sitting up fully, I crossed my legs indian style and gave him my full attention. "I appreciate that, I do; but nothing you read is going to prepare you for what's out there, Adam."

"Then tell me what is really out there."

"There are so many things, most of which are going to hunt me down just for a chance at money."

"How are you so calm? Any sane person would be freaking the fuck out if they were being hunted down like an animal."

I smiled, genuinely enthralled with his innocence of the world. There was so much he didn't know and that trait alone made him so much more attractive than he already was. He sat his phone down on the bed and got up, walked towards the small mini fridge near the entertainment center.

Adam pulled out two bottles of beer, popping the tops off both. Curling my bottom lip inward, I realized that my world was creating unnecessary stress on him. He returned to his bed and handed me one of the bottles. I reached forward to take the drink. "Cheers to not dying on this crusade."

He touched the top of his bottle against mine in a clang and proceeded to take a long drink from the opening. I took a small sip and then placed the drink on the nightstand behind me. Returning to my previous position, I stared at him a moment, running words through my head before speaking them. "If this is too much for you, I can make you forget about it all." I said, fumbling with my hands on my lap.

"You mean like erasing my memories…"

"In a sense, yes. You won't remember anything about my world and you can continue on living your life as you once were."

"Would I forget you?"

"Yes…"

Taking another long drink from the bottle of beer, only this time he chugged the rest and discarded the empty bottle in the trash can next to the bed. "Nope, not gonna forget anything this time. I don't want to lose any more of my life. I want to remember it all. Good or bad."

"The offer still stands if it ever gets to be too much for you. I don't expect you to take on a burden by sticking with me."

"Nothing wrong with sticking with you. From what I can tell, you are a sincere down to earth girl that's got some fucked up adoptive parents."

"Thank you."

Adam picked his phone back up and walked back to the mini fridge for another bottle of beer. I honestly had no idea what to make of the things he spoke to me. He's the first man to ever get my heart racing the way it was currently. Then again, I've never really socialized with anyone outside the mansion. My social skills weren't all the great; but I've made progress. At least I think I have.

He buried his face back into what he was reading, while taking sips from his beer. I was curious to know what he was actually reading about. "What are you really reading about?" I asked, hoping he'd give me an honest answer, because I would be able to tell if he was lying or not.

"Harpies. According to this site, they were Zeus's personal favorite creature and did his bidding when necessary."

"They are selfish creatures. They are neither good nor evil. They play on which side that benefits them and right now, my family's side benefits them. There is no point in dwelling on what happened tonight. Tomorrow could be a completely different creature."

"Tell me about this Elijah guy...he was definitely juiced up on some power when he came barreling up to the cabin."

Letting out a soft sigh, moving my tongue on the inside of my mouth before I could form a word about him. "He used to work with my father at the University, became really good friends and then my father hired him to be his right hand man. He confided in him that his adopted daughter was half mermaid and some other blood he couldn't identify."

"That means your other half isn't human either."

"Nope. I have no idea what my biological father was; but it's obviously because of his blood that I was able to create those balls of sunlight at the cabin."

Thinking about that lost side of me got my emotions swirling. A part of me wanted to know who my birth parents were; but another side of me just wanted to know why they abandoned me.

Lost in thought, I hadn't realized Adam had switched over to sit down next to me on my bed. Burning tears stung the corners of my eyes and it was far too late to try and hold them back now. They trickled down my face just as Adam pulled me into his arms, holding onto me tightly. His scent waved under my nose. My hand instinctively took hold of his shirt. Violent sobs erupted from my throat, breaking down my exterior walls that I had built up to prevent me from feeling all those hurtful things.

"No one should have to feel that kind of pain. I'm sorry that you have too."

The sound of rain hitting the windows alerted us that my emotions were having an effect on the weather outside as well. Resting my head on his chest, right above his heart, I blinked back even more tears that I simply couldn't afford to shed. "Not that it's okay that you're crying; but it is pretty cool that your emotions have control over the weather." He commented.

I laughed at his attempt to cheer me up; but it indeed worked. "Yeah. Sometimes it's a pain in the ass." I replied, pushing out of his arms. Standing up, I moved towards the small bathroom to clean myself up. Hearing the squeak of my bed, I knew he had gotten up as well. Splashing water on my face, I looked up at the mirror and saw my miserable reflection staring back at me.

My emerald eyes were bloodshot, no longer holding their charm. Pressing my face into the hand towel, I rubbed it dry and stepped back outside into the main room. Adam was asleep on his bed. Smiling, I padded across the floor to his side. I leaned down to press my lips against his cheek before turning towards my own bed, until a hand took hold of my wrist.

"You are beautiful, Alayna…" He murmured just before falling asleep again.

Smiling, I crawled into my own bed. Perhaps, there was more of a reason for my meeting of Adam than I first realized. There was no time to dwell on what if scenarios when tomorrow could be another fight; but at the same time, I wanted to dwell on the sincerity in Adam's eyes when he held onto me when I was crying. That is a moment I will never forget or take for granted.


	8. In The Stars

**A/N: A special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls for the wonderful review. Onto number eight, let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 8:**

**In The Stars**

On the road again. It felt like an endless process. What I wouldn't do to have a settling point on this journey to freedom. Although, it wasn't so bad having Adam along for the ride. He was sitting in the passenger seat this time. His eyes were focused on the outside world. The sight of the summer breeze filtering through his locks of hair made me smile.

Moving my hand to the stereo, I pushed a button that would connect my phone to the auxiliary cord attached to it. Music was needed if there was going to be silence between us. A classic song from the 80's started to blare out from the speakers. 'Hysteria' by Def Leppard.

"So what are we going to do today?" Adam asked, slightly turning the volume down.

"We are going to try to make it over the South Carolina border. There is a place we can stay hidden for a little bit."

"Hopefully. All this traveling is making me a little claustrophobic."

He turned away from the window and looked directly at me. There was a sadness behind those eyes and it broke my heart to witness. I shouldn't have asked if I could take his memories away. I should have just done it. All of this was tearing away his vibrance. "I am sorry. As I said before, the offer still stands to have you go back to your normal life."

"Screw that. I have enough of my life taken away."

"Alright. Is there anything I can do to make this easier?"

"No. I'm okay, just lost in your world."

"You know you can ask me whatever you want."

He nodded his head then gave my hand, which was resting on the center console, a gentle squeeze. If I was honest with myself, I wished he'd ask the questions he wanted to. It made me wonder if he was afraid of the answers I'd give.

Switching lanes on the highway, I looked up at my rearview mirror only to see a darken sedan following me closely. Narrowing my eyes, I switched lanes again. That same sedan followed suit. "What's up?" Adam asked.

"We are being followed." I answered.

He quickly turned his head to see what I was talking about. Thankfully some jackass driver cut the driver off that sedan, cutting distance between us a little. Adam turned back around to face the windshield. Pushing my foot down on the gas, I weaved through the lanes a few times to try and put even more distance between us and that vehicle.

"I don't see them anymore." He commented.

"Doesn't mean they aren't still there. There is someone nearby that could potentially help us figure out what to do next."

"Who would that be?"

"A former employee of my father's."

I could tell that Adam was not impressed with my answer. His skepticism was justified considering everything I've told him about my adoptive family. After the next two exits passed by, I turned off onto the third one. Keeping my eyes frequently on my rearview mirror, I turned left.

After about twenty-five minutes of driving, we came to our destination. There was a black iron gate blocking our passage to the long driveway. I leaned out to press the button. "Yes." A voice answered.

"Alayna Riveria, I need to see Gregory."

There was no response, only a click of the gate opening for us. Placing my hands back on the wheel, I continued forward. It took us another minute or two to drive up the lengthy driveway. "Boy this guy must be loaded to live in this gated mansion." Adam commented as we came to a stop in front of the three stall garage.

"Well he did work for my father for many years until he no longer believed in the things they were doing. He's the only former employee he let live."

"That's so fucking messed up."

Opening the car door, I stepped out. I could see Gregory open the side door and stand on the small porch. His lean form was matched with salt and pepper hair. His age was catching up with him and it's been far too long since I've laid eyes on him. "Oh Alayna, it's so good to see you again."

"I wish this was a social visit; but we need your help."

"We?"

Adam stepped up to stand beside me. Gregory's brows furrowed; but he eventually stepped aside and allowed us inside. Closing the door behind, we moved into the kitchen and sat down at the rectangular island in the middle of the floor. "What can I help you with, child?" he asked, lifting his mug full of coffee to his lips.

"What is it about me that makes my father think he can use me to further his agenda?" I asked, mentally preparing myself for the answer I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to hear.

"What do you know of your heritage?"

"I know my birth mother was a mermaid. Elijah hinted that my father couldn't decipher what the other part of me was."

Adam stood close to me, knowing that it wasn't easy for me to talk about my past. We had spent almost a week together and I was grateful to him in so many ways. If I was honest with myself, I didn't want to do this alone.

Gregory sat his mug down on the counter, then turned back towards us. "That is true. No one could figure out what your biological father's bloodline was. However, he had some theories."

"I think everyone had theories, including myself; but none of it really mattered to me. The only question that mattered to me was whether or not I was giving up or taken from my biological parents."

"That question I can answer. You were taken."

A wave of relief washed over me. The underlying notion that I had been abandoned had been eradicated. Philip and Claire had taken me away from parents who never got a chance to take care of me. The feeling of burning tears stung the corners of my eyes and I found myself gripping the edge of the countertop on the island until it started to crack under the pressure. "Everything is written in this journal. If you want the answers, they are in there. There are also sketches of what your birth parents looked like."

Gregory pulled open a drawer and pulled out a thick brown leather book. He slid the book in my direction and I hesitantly placed my hands upon the item. Adam hovered close. His comforting scent waved under my nose and it made the tears fall away, with only a single one able to run down the length of my cheek. "Where do I go from here?" I asked, hoping that he would have an answer for me.

He, once again, turned back towards that same drawer he had pulled the journal from. This time he pulled out a set of keys. "There is a safe house on the other end of this property, you'll have to walk there on foot and we can hide your car in the garage; but it will keep you hidden for a little while."

"Thank you." I answered, taking the set of keys.

Gregory walked us back to the door. He pushed a button and one of the garage doors opened. Adam walked down the steps to drive the car into the stall. "Be careful. Your friend isn't as human as you think he is."

"What are you talking about?"

"There is a reason May 1st, 2nd and 3rd was erased from your memory...from both of your memories."

Without hesitation, I dropped the keys and journal from my hands to the ground and wrapped my hand around his neck. Adam ran the distance from the garage to where I was losing control of myself. "Alayna!" He shouted.

"Explain to me what the hell happened and why those days were erased from our memory!" I snarled.

"Test subject…"

I released the hold I had on his neck. He coughed, gasped for a decent breath of air. Heat circulated in my palm, forming a ball of orangish yellow energy. Gregory chuckled, "I see you've learned some new things since the last time I saw you."

"Don't change the subject. Tell me what happened, now!"

"You were with your parents on one of their many outings on the yacht. A fishing boat caught fire, capsizing where it stood. Your friend there was the only survivor thanks to you. You rescued him and your parents decided to take him as a test subject."

My heart dropped to my stomach. I couldn't even look Adam in the eye in that moment. The energy in my palm dissipated and I collapsed to my knees. Gregory knelt down in front of me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "They never got a chance to do any testing on him. He radiated with a brilliant light while unconscious and you refused to see him become a victim. Once again, you rescued him from the lab and set him free on the beach near where his ship capsized and I took both of your memories away, so you wouldn't have to remember the events."

Adam crouched down to my left and held out a hand for me to take. I looked up and saw the smile on his face. How could he smile at a time like this? Instinctively, I accepted his hand and he pulled me to my feet. His eyes locked with mine as he reached up to touch the side of my face, wiping away another tear that had rolled down my cheek. "Now we know why we seemed familiar to each other. You saved me, not once but twice."

Was he dismissing the fact that Gregory pretty much said that he wasn't exactly human either. So now there was another question that needed to be answered. What was Adam if not human?

Adam picked up the journal and keys from the ground. He handed them back to me and we started our walk behind the property towards the safe house Gregory offered us to stay in. The trees were absolutely beautiful, green and shimmering under the sunlight. "Alayna." Adam called.

"Yeah…"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving my life and not allowing me to become a test subject."

I stopped walking and turned around to face him. There was a smile on his face and his comforting blue eyes were reflective against the sunlight. Where we stood was in a clearing filled with wildflowers of just about every color. "There is no need to thank me, Adam. Whether I can remember it or not is irrelevant. I'd never let anyone become a victim to their tierany nor would I let anyone drown if I could help it."

He closed the distance between us, standing ever so close that I could feel his warm breath on my skin. Tucking hair behind my ear, his thumb brushed against my ear. "We will figure all of this out...together."

"But…" My words were cut off by his mouth on mine. Sinking into the feeling, I lost myself in the waves of emotion. His lips were soft and matched perfectly against mine. Knowing him just under a week, I knew that there was something special about him that drew me in.

There was heat between us and when we seperated, he was radiating in a bright light that resembled the sun. I didn't have time to think about the kiss we had shared, because this very not-human energy was surrounding him. "Adam…" I called.

The light started to fade away just as quickly as it had appeared. He looked at me with a confused expression, which was completely understandable. I didn't know what to make of it either. We silently started to walk down the rest of the path towards the safe house, where we could take a breath and sort through everything that's happened so far. Perhaps reading the journal would give us some clues as well.


	9. Locked Secret of Birth

**A/N: A special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls for the wonderful review. I know that it has been about two or three weeks since I last updated this; but here is the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. My birthday is Monday and I wanted to get it out as soon as I was able to. Let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 9:**

**Locked Secret of Birth**

Unlocking the front door to the safe house, I swallowed hard and stepped over the threshold. My body was alert and highly sensitive to my surroundings. Adam had just kissed me and everything was so chaotic inside my head. I wanted to smile about the gesture; but I couldn't seem to find happiness in it when I felt the hole inside myself grow even larger than it once was.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Adam's company. He had his own questions about his own life. I saw the brilliant golden light surround him with my own eyes. It was just as Gregory described. It wasn't a human aura, that much I knew for sure. "Alayna…" Adam called as he stepped inside the house.

I placed the journal Gregory gave me down on the kitchen table, that was made of a light colored oak wood, and turned to look directly at him. There was turmoil swirling in his eyes and I could see the fear behind it all. He was afraid and I couldn't blame him for that feeling. I knew dragging him deeper into my world was a bad idea and now I could see it for myself. "You need to let me erase these memories. I'm only going to make things worse for you." I answered, clenching my hands together tightly in front of my stomach.

"Absolutely not. You are not going to take away my memories of you. I know what happened to me during those absent days in my mind."

"You aren't thinking rationally here."

"I think I'm thinking plenty rationally."

He took several more steps in my direction. I took two steps back until my back was up against the corner of the table. Unclasping my hands, I rested them behind me on the glossy table-top. Adam reached to touch the side of my face with two fingers, curving my hair behind my ear. "I'm not going anywhere. We met before all of this...it can't just be a coincidence that I'm here with you again...I'm meant to be here...right now…"

"Adam...I'm not a good person to get involved with. You could easily end up dead."

"Shouldn't that be my choice?"

"I can't...I'm sorry…."

I snaked out around him to focus on the journal resting on the table. He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his tangled locks of hair. Pulling out the chair in front of me, I sat down and opened the journal. My adoptive father's handwriting was evident on the pages. Inside, he had dated every entry starting with the day of my birth...July 18th, 1992.

Adam sat down in the chair across from me, keeping some distance between us. I must have been so deep in thought that I hadn't seen him get into the refrigerator, because there was a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Anything of interest in there?" He asked, taking a swig from the bottle.

"Yeah...the journal starts on the day of my birth."

His eyes perked open a little more. My hand rubbed against the rough texture of the paper, knowing that this journal was twenty-seven years old. I opened my mouth to speak, to read the entry in its entirety so I understood what happened and why I had been taken away from my birth parents.

"July 18th, 1992

Today, Claire and I went out on the yacht for some much needed R&R. Our experiments were going very well in the labs. The only thing that was missing was subjects to prove that mythical creatures existed in our world.

What we didn't expect was to witness a birth on the shore of our vacation, Myrtle Beach, home. Claire, curious as ever, peered over the edge of the yacht. The woman giving birth was surrounded in a beautiful white light. Her lover hovered next to her, encouraging her. He had long jet black hair, jet black facial hair that was at least two inches long from his face.

"They are royalty of some kind." Claire said, pointing out that both of them were wearing crowns made of gold and extremely rare gemstones that were known to be hidden at the depths of the ocean.

Once the baby was born, we could see the tail. We had witnessed a mermaid birth. This was our chance to prove that mythological creatures existed. I quickly sprung into action, opening the hidden case of equipment under the seats along the railing.

Claire helped with the preparations, guiding me to the perfect shot. Pulling the trigger, the electrical net sprung free and encased the small family in the webbing. We steered the yacht to shore and jumped down onto the sand.

"Please don't" The woman pleaded, holding the baby close to her chest.

We said nothing, except worked diligently to put the two defensive parents to sleep and took the baby out of the woman's arms. My most trusted partner, Elijah, arrived with a shark cage built to hold the strongest of creatures within its bars. He tossed the sleeping pair into the cage and loaded it on the yacht so we could dispose of them deep into the ocean.

After returning home, Claire noticed a small seashell on a chain around the infant's neck. Her name was Alayna, so we decided to keep the name. Our journey as parents had begun with a creature that was thought to be only myth."

I could do nothing to hold the tears back. They poured from my eyes. Pushing the journal away from me for the time being, there was nothing else I wanted to read at that moment. Rumbles of thunder could be heard in the distance and I knew that if I didn't get my emotions in check there would be a terrible storm that would rain down on the town.

I could feel Adam's warmth embrace me. He held on tight and refused to let go as I cried hard against him. I wasn't so sure I wanted to read anymore entries. There were probably things in there that I didn't know about, things they did to me. All I was to them was a test subject. I was never a daughter, they never loved me.

"Alayna…"

Pushing at his chest, he gave me enough space to move out around him again. I just couldn't be around him. Turning back outside, the rain had begun to fall heavy upon the earth. Closing my eyes, I allowed the water to hit my skin like bee stings.

**Adam**

I knew that she needed to be left alone. What she had learned about the day of her birth couldn't have been easy for her to swallow. Hell, it was even hard for me to think about. How could two people do something so disgusting to a happy couple creating life?

Sitting back down at the table, I moved the journal towards me and looked down upon the words written. I scanned the next entry briefly until a loud thunder clap startled me. Sliding the chair back out, I stood up and opened the door.

Alayna stood firm with her arms outstretched, head tilted back. Waves from the ocean, pounded against the rocks below the treeline that covered the safehouse from view. The storm was only intensifying the longer I stood on the small porch. Calling her name did nothing and the wind that was blowing was starting to snap thinner tree branches.

Slowly weaving through the current of air, I finally reached her and touched the side of her face. Her eyes slowly opened to reveal nothing but white. Her beautiful emerald green eyes were no longer visible.

"Alayna, I know all of this is awful. They never should have taken you; but what is happening now will only hurt more people. You are not a monster."

"Aren't I?"

"No...you are a woman who has emotions just like every other person on this planet. Sure, you have enhanced abilities that most only dream of; but you are selfless and your soul is pure. I am honored to have you in my life."

Looking down at my hands that were starting to heat up, I could see the same golden glow that had surrounded me earlier on. Without thinking much, I moved her arms down and took her hands into my own. Her head shifted to look directly at me. Slowly the white started to fade away and the emerald green returned to her eyes.

The wind dissipated, pushing the storm away. I felt like I was draining away the turmoil that had been swirling inside her. Absolutely drained herself, she collapsed into my arms. All I could do was lift her up and carry her inside the house. Laying her down on the sofa in the small living room, I placed my lips on her forehead before walking back into the kitchen only to see Gregory in the doorway.

"Is she alright?" He asked, sounding concerned.

"She passed out. What kind of fucking people would do such a thing to her birth parents?"

"Emotionless monsters. I didn't understand that until it was far too late. After seeing you with her, I've changed my view of you. Perhaps you are the one person who can help her truly defeat the real enemy here."

"What enemy would that be exactly?"

"If you think Philip and Claire are the masterminds of everything you are sadly mistaken, there is a greater power pulling their strings."

Clenching my hands into fists at my side, what he was saying was only angering me. I didn't even have the time to question my own abilities, because I was so focused on her. Gregory closed the door behind him and took several steps further into the kitchen. "I can tell that you are confused about the light that keeps emerging around yourself."

"My answers can wait...what about her?"

"Have you ever heard the name Odysseus before?"

"Can't say that I have…"

Gregory rubbed his face with the palm of his hand. The name spoken really didn't ring a bell inside my head. Of course, there was so much out there that I never bothered to read about because I didn't see a point to it. Boy was I kicking my own ass for that now. "He was a Greek Hero in Homer's 'Iliad', he was the one who helped the Greeks win the Trojan War. He was public enemy number one in the Greek god Poseidon's eyes."

"What exactly are you trying to say here?"

"The hostility has been passed down from generation to generation. Odysseus's heir has finally come full circle. He's the one pulling the strings behind Philip and Claire's experiments."

"You're telling me that all of that Greek Mythology stuff is true."

"A good chunk of it, yes. Alayna is proof enough, being the daughter of a Greek God was never going to be easy for her."

Wait! What! She was the daughter of a Greek God. His explanation of Odysseus being an enemy of Poseidon was all the knowledge I needed to know who her parents were. It also explained why it had been Philip and Claire to be the ones to stumble across Alayna's birth that day.

Looking back into the living room, a weight suddenly pressed down on my chest. I didn't know if she was going to be able to handle anymore things after learning what had happened the day she was born. All I knew was that I was going to continue to support her through it all, and maybe I would find answers to my own questions along the way.


	10. New Plan

**A/N: A special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls and Leasha Ambrose for always giving me such great reviews. I truly appreciate each and every one of them. Another special thanks goes to xBreezyMeadowsx for becoming a follower to this story. Onto number ten. Let me know what you think.**

**** Mature Content present in this chapter ****

**Chapter 10:**

**New Plan**

**Adam**

It was hard for me to just sit there and watch Alayna sleep. Gregory explained far too many things that only seemed to create chaos inside my head. She was the daughter of a Greek God and if I had to guess which one, my guess was Poseidon. He was the God of the seas and considering she was half mermaid that would explain a couple of things. "What happened to her parents? Are they still alive?" I asked, turning my head away from Alayna's sleeping form back to Gregory, who was sitting at the table in the kitchen.

"They are alive; but trapped in that cage deep in the ocean. Finding them is going to be the hardest part. Philip and Claire have so many things at their disposal, things that can hurt a full blooded god. However, since Alayna is only half those weapons will have little effect on her and they know it. Demi-gods have a tendency to be far superior in power than their god-like parent." He explained.

"What do they really want with her?"

"That answer should be painfully obvious. They want to test her, use her blood to create all these new creatures. They want to create an army to invade this reality, enslave the humans to worship them. It's in human nature to fight back; but they will do so in vain."

I mentally cursed. These people were truly the scum of the Earth and to think this Greek Hero Odysseus was human. His heir was backing the wrong side. "I will help you in any way that I can. That future can't happen or humans will cease to exist."

"It won't if I have anything to say about it." Alayna's voice sounded.

I turned quickly back to the living room and saw her standing up. Her long lilac hair was disheveled and over both of her shoulders. Those emerald green eyes sparked with life as she started to walk into the kitchen. Her gaze left mine to look straight at the open journal on the table. "Alayna...how are you feeling?" Gregory hesitantly asked.

"I'll feel better when I rid this world of those imposter parents, Philip and Claire Riveria." She answered, placing a hand on the yellowed pages.

She was angry and rightfully so. It made me wonder just how much she had heard while asleep on the couch. Judging from the look on her face, I would have to say it was a good chunk of what was said between Gregory and I.

He shifted his body and moved to stand up. His hands took hers lovingly. "I have no doubt that you will do everything you can to make that a reality, just know that I will help you in any way that I can. You've been like family to me."

"You are family to me."

Gregory embraced her tightly and then moved to leave the safehouse. We were alone once again and somehow the tension was just as thick as it had been before she started reading the journal. "Are you sure that you're okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine. We need to map out the ocean near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina."

"I suppose we are going on a rescue mission for your birth parents."

She nodded her head, looking down at the page that held sketches of what her parents looked like. Her mother was stunning to the eye. Though the sketch was drawn in charcoal, there was a likeness about her that resembled Alayna. The shape of their eyes were identical and she had her father's nose. It was amazing how I noticed things like that when gazing upon her when she wasn't looking.

**Alayna**

Knowing that Adam had not left while I was unconscious made me smile on the inside. I felt like I had drug him into a war that would no doubt kill him in the end. No matter how many times I pushed him away, he was still here...waiting for my next move...ready to follow me into another battle.

The inexperience of my love life was eating away at me. I didn't know what to do with those kinds of gestures, so I simply ignored them. Was that the right thing to do? Probably not; but I just didn't want to hurt him by doing the wrong thing.

I stepped away from him and walked back into the living room. There was a bookshelf full of books on it. Eyeing the titles, I found a book of maps and pulled it off the shelf. Adam never moved from the chair he was sitting on in the kitchen when I had returned to the room. Opening the book, I searched the index for South Carolina. "They have to be somewhere off the docks, because their yacht is there." I stated.

He stood up and moved to look at the map I had sprawled on the table. I pointed to where their yacht would be docked since they were still in Vermont at the mansion. That boat would be a good place to look for clues as to where they lowered that cage holding my parents inside. "Unless there is scuba gear on that boat, you are going to have to search the waters on your own."

"Don't forget that I can make you able to breathe underwater if I keep a hold of you."

"Yes; but that doesn't cover as much ground as it would if we could search separately."

He had a point. It would take much longer if we were in the same place looking versus looking in different locations. Feeling the frustration, my free hand snapped, the already cracked, edge of the table off. Adam immediately took a hold of my arm and pulled me to stand up straight. His fingers traced a line down my cheek, hovering over my bottom lip with his thumb. "It's okay. We will find them one way or another." He encouraged.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I should be more positive."

"Alayna...you are probably the most determined person I have ever met. It only seems to add to your charm. It doesn't matter to me that you could kill me with one hand, nor does it matter that your history is dark. You are light in that dark...light in my dark. I promise to stay with you and see this through to the end."

My heart pounded against my chest. I didn't understand why he continued to be near me when all I've done was push him away. Tossing logic out the window, I let out a breath of air and pushed myself up on my tip-toes to press my lips onto his. Instinctively, he held me close and allowed me to explore.

Sliding my hands up his chest, I could hear a muffled moan in his throat. I assume that I was doing something right for that response. The fabric of his shirt was soft under my palms; but I had this strange urge to remove it from his body.

"Alayna…" He called, breaking our kiss.

"Hmm…"

"What changed? You made it pretty clear that you had no interest in taking this further."

Definitely didn't expect him to call me out on my previous actions from earlier on in the day and I sure as hell had no idea what to say in response to it either. Taking several steps back, I lowered my gaze away from his. "I'm sorry. I'm confused and I have no idea how to respond to the things you say and do."

"Alayna, I'm not asking you to do anything. Just do what feels comfortable to you, don't force yourself and I'll still be here."

Taking those steps back, I placed my hands back on the soft fabric of his shirt. Closing my fingers on the top button. "So, if I wanted to unbutton this shirt...you would let me." I asked, turning the button through the slit in the fabric.

He swallowed, "Yes." Slightly grinning, I slowly unbuttoned every button of his shirt and exposed his bare chest. My hands touched his warm flesh and I leaned my head forward to place my lips right on his sternum in a chaste kiss.

Another low groan erupted in his throat. I slipped his shirt over his shoulders and discarded it to the wooden floor. Adam's eyes were sparkling differently now. There was a heavy glaze over the usual blue. "I'm having a hard time staying in control, Alayna." He admitted, and then I knew what the look was in his eyes. Lust.

"So let go of that control."

"What!"

"Let go, you heard me correctly."

That same golden aura surrounded him as he picked me up from my standing position. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. His lips took mine in a heated fury. My back felt the cool wood of the table top as he lowered me down upon it. His lips found the shallow of my neck and lower.

Each and every kiss sent waves of pleasure throughout my body. Our clothes disappeared and I left exposed to his view, not that he hadn't seen me naked before; but this was completely different. This was intimate and he was about to take something away that my tyrant parents swore would never be taken. My virginity.

He knew without having to tell him. Holding me close and after the initial thrust, I felt a new world of sensations. His right hand slid up the calf of my leg and stopped on my inner thigh. His lips came down upon mine again and he never moved his eyes away from mine. The coil of tightness came to us both right at the same time. "Adam…" I called, seeing the light around him get brighter the moment his climax hit within me.

"Alayna...did I hurt you?" He asked, touching the side of my face.

"No...I'm fine."

He stood up straight and the light started to fade away. There was something ancient about his blood for sure. Perhaps he was a demi-god like me and I supposed the only way either one of us was going to get answers was if we found my parents.


	11. No Turning Back

A/N: A special thanks goes to BreakTheWalls and Leasha Ambrose for the wonderful reviews. I apologize for the lengthy wait for this update. We are down to the final three chapter chapters. I really had fun writing this crazy story for all of you. I hope you've all enjoyed it. Let me know what you think.

**Chapter 11:**

**No Turning Back**

**Alayna**

Swallowing the lump that had formed in the base of my throat, I turned towards the ocean. Adam was standing ever so cautiously at my side. We have yet to speak about what happened the night before between us, which I was thankful for. If we made it through the events that would transpire, then perhaps fate was smiling upon us and he truly was meant for me.

"Are you ready?" He asked softly, reaching for my fingertips.

"As ready as I can be." I answered, turning my hand to give his a gentle squeeze.

The warm ocean breeze blew through my hair, twisting it around us. It was like the sky was embracing us before we plunged into the unknown. Letting go of his hand, I slowly started to walk down the bank towards the pier where my so-called parent's yacht was resting. The sand sunk under the weight of my steps.

Adam turned his head and quickly pushed me. I fell to the side just as a metal clamp sprung. It looked almost like a bear trap. Kneeling down, I picked up a larger shell that was in the sand and tossed it out in front of me. Another clamp sprung.

"Figures that it wouldn't be easy to get to the damn boat." I grumbled.

"What do you suggest we do?" Adam asked softly.

"I didn't want to have to use this; but it looks like I have no choice."

"Use what?"

I didn't bother to answer his question, because he would find out soon enough. Honestly, I didn't want to have to use this ability, because it's so draining to my strength; but if I wanted to get to the yacht with all of my limbs intact, this was the only way.

Closing my eyes, I outstretched my arms downward. The wind started to pick up slightly and circle around me. The sand shifted around, triggering all of the clamps that lay underneath. Adam lifted an arm over his face to shield himself from debris.

"Alayna…" He said softly.

Lowering my arms, I could see all the triggered clamps spread out across the sand. My legs pushed me forward and I found myself on the wooden pier. Adam quickly caught up to me just as I slid the gate open on the yacht.

I could see all the personal items that belonged to them and it just seemed to bring back memories I would have loved to forget. There was a photo of the three of us near the control port area.

"Alayna." Adam called, coming abroad.

I ignored his call and took the photo into my hands and immediately threw it on the ground, shattering the glass of the frame on the wood of the floor. "Alayna, slow down. You need to focus on why we're here." Adam said, taking a hold of my shoulders, forcing me to look at him.

"You're right, I'm sorry. That picture just set me off." I apologized.

"No need to be sorry, I fully understand why. I'm here for you, remember that."

I reached up to touch the side of his face. His blue eyes seemed to swirl with energy that hummed to life upon my touch. "I know and I'll be forever grateful."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see scuba gear resting on a nearly empty shelf. Stepping out around him, I went to retrieve the gear that Adam would need to breathe under the water as we searched for the prison my birth parents were sealed inside.

"Awesome, there is still lots of oxygen in the tank." I said, handing Adam the gear.

"This will help so we can cover more ground."

He started to unbutton his shirt and I found myself just gazing upon his body. Heat found its way to my cheeks and it only brought back the memory of last night. A grin curved his lips. "You see something you like?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I instantly turned away, hiding my face. A low chuckle escaped his throat. It was getting harder to focus on the task at hand. I was there to save my parents. Shaking my head vigorously, I turned back around to see Adam completely dressed in the scuba gear. It was a little big on him; but it worked for what we needed.

He followed me out onto the deck, while pulling the oxygen tank up onto his shoulders by the straps. I unraveled the rope that held the yacht against the pier, then went back into the control room to start the engine and get it moving further into the ocean. Adam remained on the deck looking at the water below.

The further we got into the sea, the heavier my chest felt. Simply closing my eyes, I mentally searched for anything that would lead me to their location. _"Alayna…" _A warm voice whispered. That's when I knew that we were in the right place.

"Let's go." I stated as I made my way back onto the deck.

I went to jump into the water; but Adam caught my arm tightly. Our eyes connected, creating friction between us that got my heart pounding. "I want you to know something before all of this goes down."

"Adam, we really don't have time. You can tell me after we rescue my parents."

"I need to say this now...just in case something happens to me."

"Nothing will happen to you. I won't let that happen."

His fingers dug in a little deeper. The usual happiness that was on his face was gone. He was really worried about going into the water. Deep down, I knew that I shouldn't have involved him in my problem. He deserved better than this. "You can't guarantee that and I refuse to let you die saving me when you have so much good to do. This world needs you; but I know that after spending this time with you... I've fallen in love with you."

Hearing those words stunned me; but at the same time, I felt the same way. I wasn't familiar with the emotion, yet, somehow I knew that it was love that I was feeling. In that moment, I leaned up and captured his lips with mine. His arm carefully wrapped around my waist and we fell over the side of the yacht into the water.

My body hummed and I felt the transformation happening. My tail had returned and hair floated out around me as our lips separated. I opened my eyes and saw his smile, that perfect smile I loved seeing.

"Let's find your parents." He said clear as day inside my mind.


	12. Humanity

**A/N: A special thanks goes to RuLoRox and fredslunchbreak for becoming followers to this story. We are down to the final chapter. I know I said there would be three; but this was the best way to end the story in my opinion. I really hope you enjoy this new update. Let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 12:**

**Humanity**

**Adam**

Once we separated in the water, I felt at odds with myself. If I was honest with myself, I didn't know where I belonged in her world. All I knew was that I was in love with her. It didn't matter to me that she was part goddess or part mermaid or whatever she was. It truly didn't matter to me.

I firmly believed that she was brought into my life for a reason and if it was to only reunite her with her birth parents then so be it. I'd be happy with that. Clenching my hands a little, I turned my head in the water trying to get a better view the deeper I swam.

"Adam!" A voice shouted, that was not Alayna's.

"Who is there?" I mentally asked.

Silence. There was no response. A jolt of electricity stung me straight in the spine. I struggled to pull whatever had stabbed me off my back. Shifting my body, I came face to face with another genetic modified creature. White shark teeth grinned as another swam in from a different direction. There was nowhere I could go.

Their strength was ridiculous as they pulled me back to the surface and into a different boat. That's when I came face to face with two figures that were unfamiliar and one that I remembered quite well, Elijah. It only made sense that the other two people were Alayna's kidnappers/parents if that's what you wanted to call them.

"You must be Adam." The father said, kneeling down to my level as Elijah held me down as if I was bowing to a king.

"What's it to you?" I snapped, struggling against Elijah's inhuman grip.

"Where is Alayna? Her scent is all over you." The mother asked, crouching down.

I refused to say a word to either one of them. A look of disgust replaced the confidence on the woman's face. Standing up, she planted a straight kick straight into my abdomen. Groaning a little, Elijah stabbed me again with the shocking device. A bellow escaped my mouth just before I passed out from the pain.

**Alayna**

I knew there was something wrong. Adam was in trouble. I could feel it. I had called his name multiple times and there was no response, which made me think he was unconscious somewhere. My heart was torn into two. Did I search for him or keep going on the search for my birth parents?

Closing my eyes, I searched mentally across the waters. There was nothing but silence. Not a single creature spoke to me. There was a sense of fear in the water and that made me worry about what was really going on.

"Alayna…" A femine voice called.

I opened my eyes to see a shimmer in the water in the form of a woman that I recognized from the drawing Philip's journal. She was my mother. She was Amphitrite. Her hair was long and dark brown in color, weaved with shells and pearls from the ocean's clams. Her eyes were the purest green I had ever seen, other than mine.

Her beauty was unmatched by anyone I had ever seen before living. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she extended her hand out to me. I extended my hand to attempt to take hers; but as suspected it went through the shimmer. "You must follow me if you hope to save him." Her voice echoed.

Without another thought, I immediately started to swim after her. A large wall of stone was between me and in the shimmer of my mother. Looking up, I could see a shadow of the boat floating in the water. Somehow I knew that was where Adam was. Looking back at the wall, I could see greek lettering etched in the stone. This was it. This was where my parents were trapped. My fingers touched the etching, memorizing what was written in a language I taught myself how to speak.

**Οργή του ωκεανού, βαθιά και δίκαιη. Βασίλισσα όλων των υποβρύχιων πλασμάτων. Όμορφο και απαλό.**

"Wrath of the ocean, deep and just. Queen of all underwater creatures. Beautiful and gentle." I thought inside my head, caressing each etching with my index finger.

Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes and pushed up with my tail to make me swim to the surface faster. I was letting my parents go for a chance at saving Adam from whatever peril he was in. Tears escaped my eyes and flowed into the ocean, leaving no evidence behind.

Water exploded out from the surface, creating a cyclone around myself. Philip, Claire and Elijah all looked up at the disturbance. Adam was unconscious, his shirt unbuttoned slightly. Anger boiled over. The cyclone dissipated and I was in full view of my so-called adoptive parents. This was the moment that I knew that I couldn't falter or think blindly.

"Ah, so you do appear. Now come quietly and we will let the human live." Philip said, pointing down at the unconscious Adam lying on the wooden boards of the boat.

"Come Alayna, we have this whole world to remodel in our image." Claire inserted after her husband.

Adam turned his head to the side and slowly opened his eyes to meet my gaze. "Don't you...give yourself...to them…" He said, struggling to move. It was then that Elijah stomped down hard on his arm. He screamed out in agony. Something snapped within me and I clenched hard on my fists, releasing energy that I never knew I had.

My tail disappeared, replaced by human legs that were covered in blueish-green scales. Much like my mother's. Two crabs crawled their way up my arms and rested on my head, transforming into a jeweled tiara. The water rippled around me and I could feel currents beneath me as the rock wall started to separate.

"Philip, the seal!" Clarie shouted frantically.

"How? She's only half-goddess." Philip questioned.

"Wrong. I'm full blooded. You see my mother may have been a mermaid; but she was also a goddess of the sea. I'm the princess of the oceans and I will continue their legacy by destroying the likes of you, those who threaten all humanity."

Raising my hands up, the water was under my full control. I encased them in a wall of sea water. Using my mind, I lifted Adam's prone body out of the boat and brought him closer to where I was positioned before letting the wall collapse upon them. I also wasn't dumb enough to think that would get rid of them, so I placed my hands into the water and triggering all creatures to attack them.

Sharks were among the first to heed my call. The smell of blood enticed them. Torture was fitting for them conisdering all the torture they have put so many through over the years. Adam cradled his arm against his chest as his eyes lingered on my new form.

"Alayna…" He whispered.

"I'm sorry that I didn't get here sooner." I apologized.

I carried him to the shore and allowed him to stand on his own. My body felt so energized and I didn't understand why. I tried to focus on the fact that I was free and there would be no one after me any longer. "Alayna, you had a chance to save your parents. Why didn't you take it? Why come for me?"

"Isn't that obvious? It's because I love you. There was no way I was going to abandon you and let you suffer at their hands." I answered honestly. It was nothing but the truth. I did love him and I finally understood that and embraced the feeling in its entirety.

"She did exactly what she was supposed to do." A voice interrupted.

We instantly turned around to see two people standing on the beach a couple feet away from us. The man had a long greying beard and long dark brown hair. His eyes were as blue as the water behind him. He held a trident in his right hand and wore armor that was clearly made from unnatural sources.

I immediately recognized him as my father, Poseidon, god of the seas. Beside him was my mother, Amphirite in all her beauty. My heart pounded against my chest as burning tears started to sting the corners of my eyes.

"Oh Alayna, you have grown to be so beautiful." Amphirite commented, opening her arms for me to step within them.

"Mom...dad...how are you here?" I asked, taking cautious steps wondering if this was just a mirage of some kind.

"The seal was made with selfishness in mind. You had to make a choice, to selfishly want us or selflessly put yourself at risk to save the life of someone else."

After hearing that, I was put at ease and the guilt laid to rest within me. I ran into my mother's arms and they wrapped around me tightly. My father took a couple steps towards Adam, who was still cradling his injured arm. "Thank you for keeping her safe. You deserve the knowledge of who you are." Poseidon said, placing a hand on Adam's injured one.

A white light was tucking under his palm and before long, Adam could move the arm fully. I walked over to Adam's side and my mother closed the distance and took my father's hand into her own. "My dear friend Helios fell in love with a mortal woman, though it was quite forbidden to have a relation with a mortal; but that didn't matter to him. Your mother was the most precious thing he ever had and when you were born, it angered Olympus. They would allow you to live if your abilities would remain locked away inside."

"What about the glowing light that something circles him?" I asked.

"The lock is coming undone because you, my dear."

"Me?"

"You are his soul mate, the longer you two are together the more the lock disappears."

Adam was my soul mate, never did I think that was a thing; but then again, I was a greek goddess. Who was I to say that it wasn't real? My fingers laced with those of Adam and tightened my grip on his hand. He turned his head to look at me and smiled. "I knew that we were meant for each other from the first day I met you." He boldly.

Everything was perfect. I now had my real parents and a man who loved me for me. I hoped everything would remain perfect for the rest of our lives. Adam leaned in to press his lips upon mine and I knew that this was true happiness, true love.


End file.
